Contemporary Nostalgia: Penthouse merges old and new

Tokyo Penthouse is a renovation project located in a 40-year-old building, near the Tokyo tower.

Traditionally, rooftop areas have been reserved for machine rooms, but after the Plaza Hotel in New York announced its penthouse project in 1923, a number of penthouses have been built on rooftops around the world.

GALLERY  

In Tokyo, penthouses are often constructed in an atypical inner space on top of a tall building erected on a small piece of land. This was exactly such a project.

The renovation project took place on the fifth and sixth floor of the building. The old concrete skeleton appeared rough, and the complex old piping system was visible. The construction contractor told us we could not remove the pipes since they were connected to the elevators and neighbouring units.

The architects worked on a design that would allow for the old and the new to coexist. The concrete has purposely been exposed in a manner that respects the composition of the interior, and has been repaired, treated and painted with masking and graduation painting, reinforcing the charm of the old industrial details of the building. The exposed piping has been wrapped with copper so that you can enjoy the aging of the material over time.

The most characteristic trait of this project is the inner windows made of stained glass which was created with acrylic boards stained with rust. It is just like a specimen of rust taken from the surface of metals (steel and copper) after oxidation. By sealing in the aging metals in the acrylic boards, it creates a mysterious environment which is contemporary but at the same time old-fashioned and nostalgic.

Images by Daisuke Shima via ArchDaily






Get our enews

Design and development news that comes to you

Subscribe
                 


Voltex Launches ARIA Nationwide Following Australian Good Design Award Win

Voltex’s ARIA outlets and switches range is now available nationwide, following its recognition in the Hardware and Building ...

Interview with Palash Nandy, CEO Legrand Australia & New Zealand

We interviewed Palash Nandy, CEO Legrand Australia & New Zealand, at the Syd launch of it's INSPYRA® Collection. ...

Bushfire Safe for All BAL Levels by Paarhammer

With the Australian summer comes the increased prevalence of bushfires and grassfires which can impact homes across the ...

Skywalker Grill Curves Around Lucas Museum

There is not a 90-degree angle in sight at Skywalker Grill, the new restaurant and bar inside Los ...

Hollywood Plaza Car Park Set for Housing

A 1ha section of surface car parking at Salisbury Downs' Hollywood Plaza could make way for a new ...

  MORE  

Stay connected to the SPEC

Join our reader network by signing up to our weekly newsletter and receive design and development news straight to your inbox





Specifier Source is brought to you by the same company that publishes Home Design, Grand Designs Australia Magazine, Kitchens & Bathrooms Quarterly Magazine, Outdoor Design Source, Build Home, CompleteHome and many more.

© 2022 Universal Media Co. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Terms of Service. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Universal Media Co.